Even if the oleander is more used to a Mediterranean climate, it grows excellently here. Here you can find out everything you need to know about planting oleanders.

Oleander provides a Mediterranean flair in the garden

Oleander (Nerium oleander) can unfortunately only be planted outdoors in a few regions of Germany due to its lack of winter hardiness. Nevertheless, it makes an excellent plant for gardens, terraces and balconies.

If you have realized your dream and brought Mediterranean flair to your home with an oleander, the question arises as to where it feels most comfortable and what it actually needs.

When to plant oleanders?

In order for your oleander to flower profusely, it needs sufficient space for its roots. Young plants in particular that have never flowered should be repotted regularly. The right time for this is in the spring, even before the oleander starts to grow again. March or early April is ideal, depending on the weather.

The right location for oleanders

As a Mediterranean plant, the oleander prefers a warm and sunny location. Since the oleander shrub grows in river valleys in its homeland - similar to our pastures - it prefers a somewhat sheltered place. He feels comfortable near a sun-exposed house or stone wall. Partial shade is also fine.

Protective house and stone walls radiate soothing warmth on cool nights

The right soil for oleanders

The oleander has a very high nutrient requirement and therefore likes nutrient-rich soil such as good garden soil. Mixed with loam results in a substrate with fairly good water holding abilities. Nevertheless, the substrate should be permeable to water, which you can achieve by adding a small amount of sand. Finally, add some lime. The optimal pH value of the soil is between 6 and 7.

So the earth consists of four parts:

  • Base is good, nutrient-rich garden soil
  • Adding some clay
  • Adding some sand
  • Adding a little lime

Planting oleanders: Procedure

To plant the oleander shouldYou choose a fairly heavy container, as otherwise there is a risk of it falling over if the wind blows into the plant due to the large leaf area. In addition, the tub or pot should have holes for draining excess water. It is best to place a saucer underneath so that the oleander can easily draw the remaining water out of it. Incidentally, oleanders are shallow-rooted, which means that their roots do not primarily spread in depth, but above all in width. It is therefore better to choose a particularly wide instead of a deep pot for planting.

So that the oleander has the necessary stability and does not put too much energy into root growth alone, you should not choose a pot that is too large. Better get a jar that's just a little bigger than the old one. To help the oleander settle into the new pot quickly, loosen the roots a little before potting so that they spread quickly into the new soil. After potting the plant in new soil, you should press everything down a little and water it.

Prefer to choose a heavy container to protect your oleander from the wind

Summary of planting oleanders:

  • Choose a heavy, wide planter
  • Use a coaster for excess water
  • Loosen the root ball of the oleander
  • Place the root ball and nutrient-rich soil in the jar
  • Press, pour, done

Care for oleanders after planting

After planting in a new pot or bucket, the oleander is supplied with new nutrients. The repotting gives him new strength. Particularly sick oleanders will thank you for this. A fertilizer application is not necessary in the next few weeks. After six weeks at the latest, however, you should think about fertilizing again. You can also learn more about the care of oleanders in this article.

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